Silent Shadows
by Jaudreylover24
Summary: Jack's time in China is made easier by his memories of him and Audrey.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Welcome to my newest story! Sorry if the font is super small, I don't know why it's like that in my editor thing... Anyways, this story is about Jack's time in China and how he uses his memories of Audrey to overcome his pain. Rated M. Reviews would be very much appreciated._

Silent Shadows

Chapter 1

Jack saw the iron-rod getting closer and closer. He knew exactly how much it was going to hurt when the glowing red rod touched his bare stomach, shoulders, or back and burned his skin. There was only one way to stop it. But, telling the Chinese the information they wanted to know was just not an option. Cheng asked him once again for information on an undercover agent that was working for the US government. Jack stayed silent. He gritted his teeth as the man next to Cheng placed the rod on his stomach. The man pulled it off after a second or two.

"How about now Mr. Bauer?" Cheng asked. Jack was ready to tell them anything they wanted to know at this point but knew it would be a betrayal to his country. He stayed silent. Cheng nodded to the man next to him to tell him to burn Jack again. This time Jack prepared himself.

He knew he had to relax. He had to think of something happy. Something that could take the pain away.

* * *

_"Here," Jack said, handing Audrey a glass of wine._

_ "I knew I liked you," Audrey said. Jack and Audrey were leaning against the railing outside wearing their most expensive clothing for this benefit dinner that Audrey's father had insisted they go to._

_ "Are you sure you don't want to go inside?" Jack asked. "It's cold out here and you're wearing a dress."_

_ "It's not cold," Audrey said, smiling. "It's just not your typical California weather."_

_ Jack put his hand on top of Audrey's, happy that he moved to Washington despite its cold weather._

_ "There you two are," said a voice behind them. Jack quickly pulled his hand away and turned around. Secretary Heller was behind them. "I was looking for you. I want you to meet Senator Bryant."_

_ Heller turned around knowing that they would follow him inside. Jack and Audrey looked at each other, knowing once again that they had managed to keep their relationship a secret from her father._

* * *

"Bring him back to his cell," Cheng said, pulling Jack away from his thoughts. The guards roughly led him back to his cell and locked the barred door before they left. Jack sat down towards the back of the cell. The cell was cold and there was no place to sit besides the concrete floor. Just as Jack positioned himself so that his new burns didn't hurt as much, a tray of food was dumped onto the floor at the front of the cell.

Jack didn't want to move but knew that if he didn't eat the food in the next ten minutes, Cheng would take it away. Then he'd have to wait another two days before they fed him again. He slowly got up and started eating. He had ten minutes until Cheng came but only three minutes before the flies came.

Jack finished his food and went back to the other end of the cell. He knew that staying anywhere near the bars would only result in getting hit by the guard who walked by every couple minutes. Jack lay down hoping to get some sleep before they tortured him again. But, every time he closed his eyes his first thoughts were of Cheng torturing him until he relaxed and forced himself to think of something else.

* * *

_Jack stealthily snuck up behind her in the kitchen and wrapped on arm around her waist pulling her close to him. Audrey jumped in fright but then relaxed as Jack held her tighter._

_ "You're going to give me a heart attack one of these times," Audrey said. Jack continued to pull her into him. Audrey was wearing only a long t-shirt that she had stolen from Jack a few weeks ago. Jack was wearing only his boxers and she could feel him getting hard. Jack kissed Audrey's shoulder gently._

_ "What are you doing?" Jack whispered into her ear, sending shivers up her spine._

_ "Well, I was making breakfast," Audrey said, turning around. She pressed her lips to his urgently. Jack's hand came up to Audrey's face and gently caressed her face, their lips still passionately intertwined. _

_ "And, now?" Jack asked, pulling away for air._

_ "Now, I'm doing you," Audrey said smiling before crashing her mouth against Jack's again. This time, Jack's hands left her face and landed on her hips before slowly lifting Audrey's t-shirt over her head, their lips only leaving one another's long enough to get the shirt off. Jack's hands roamed over her soft skin. He moved his lips down her upper body making sure not to miss an inch. After sucking on each breast, he moved back up to Audrey's lips. They kissed urgently and Jack backed Audrey up against the counter before effortlessly lifting her up just enough to sit her on the counter._

_ Jack pushed Audrey's legs apart and began exploring her with his tongue._

_ "Jack," Audrey moaned. When she thought she couldn't take any more, she leaned forward and reached for the top of Jack's boxers. She pushed them down as far as she could and let Jack take them off the rest of the way. As soon as they were gone, Audrey took Jack's manhood into her hands until he couldn't take it anymore. She inched forward on the counter allowing Jack to enter her. She wrapped her arms and legs around Jack, and Jack held her as they came simultaneously. Jack held Audrey for another minute until their heavy breathing subsided. Audrey unwrapped her legs from around Jack's waist and Jack lowered her to the ground. Audrey held on to Jack, not trusting her legs to hold her up._

_ "I think I'm going to pass out," Audrey said. _

_Jack laughed. "Me too, sweetheart."_

_Audrey kissed Jack again before letting go of Jack and heading towards the bathroom._

"_Now what are you doing?" Jack asked._

_ "Showering," Audrey said. "Care to join me?"_

_ Audrey didn't wait for an answer knowing full well that Jack was following her._

* * *

Jack jolted awake as a rush of freezing cold water was dumped on him. He looked up at the guard who was standing over him with a large bucket. Cheng was next to him.

* * *

A/N: Did you like it let me know. Maybe I'll do more. We'll see how many people read it.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Reviews are always appreciated!_

Chapter 2

"Get him up," Cheng said to the guard. The guard kicked Jack in the stomach then pulled Jack up onto his feet. Jack was then brought out to the torturing room. He was strapped to chair by his wrists and ankles. On the table a few feet away was a single rusty nail.

Cheng said something in Chinese to the guard who then grabbed the nail off the table. Then the guard kneeled down in front of Jack and placed the nail under one of Jack's fingernails.

* * *

_"You want to stop for lunch?" Jack asked._

_ "Tired?" Audrey teased, as they jogged like they did every Saturday._

_ "No," Jack said, defensively. "Just hungry."_

_ Audrey slowed to a walk and took a sip from her water bottle then handed it to Jack. He took a sip. They walked into a small restaurant and ordered._

_ "You know I'm surprised you can keep up with me," Audrey teased._

_ "Really? Because I was going to say the same to you," Jack joked. He reached across the table casually and grabbed her hand. "But then again, I do slow down for you."_

_ Audrey smiled, knowing full well that it was true. But, she liked to tease him anyway. "That's what they all say."_

_ "All your other boyfriends?" Jack asked._

_ "Yep," Audrey said. "Does that make you jealous?"_

_ "Insanely," Jack said, kissing her hand._

* * *

Jack's fingers were bleeding now as they brought him back to his cell. He could tell Cheng was getting more and more agitated as time went on. Jack curled up in the corner of his cell wishing that he could just go home to Audrey.

Yet at the same time he was hoping that she had moved on. He thought she deserved more than him. He didn't want her to wait for him when he knew that he would rot in this prison until he died.

* * *

_"How do I look?" Audrey asked, spinning in her navy blue bride's maid dress._

_ "I think you need to change," Jack said, seriously._

_ "Excuse me?"_

_ "Your friend is going to hate you if you look prettier than her in her wedding pictures," Jack said. Audrey slapped him playfully on the arm._

_ "Trust me. Jess looks amazing in her dress," Audrey said, tying Jack's tie._

_ "You're a hundred times prettier," Jack said._

_ "You've never even met her," Audrey said._

_"I don't think that changes anything."_

* * *

Jack's hands were throbbing now and were swollen. Jack knew he was probably getting an infection. He knew that Cheng would send in the doctor soon to look at him. Cheng always had to make sure that Jack wasn't going to die. He wouldn't let Jack go that easily.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thanks for reading! Review please?_

Chapter 3

Jack picked up the cinder block, which seemed to get heavier and heavier each time he was forced to do this. It hurt his badly injured fingers but the alternative was worse. One time Jack had refused to do the manual labor which resulted in him getting tied to the ceiling by his wrists and then hosed down in freezing cold water. Then they would electrocute him. They would hold the wires to his chest and penis and let the electricity shock him until he was sure that he was dead.

Jack knew better than to refuse now. He slowly picked up a cinder block and moved it to another pile. He knew that the next time he was brought out the blocks would be back in their original piles and he would be forced to move them again for no reason.

Jack was sweating more than normal and figured he was probably getting a fever due to the infection from his damaged fingernails. But, he pushed through anyways.

_"What are you doing for Thanksgiving, Jack?" Heller asked, curiously._

_ "Nothing, sir," Jack said._

_ "You aren't visiting your daughter?"_

_ "No sir," Jack said. "She and her boyfriend are going to his parents house for Thanksgiving."_

_ "Well, then you can come to my family's dinner," Heller said._

_ "It's okay sir," Jack said not wanting to intrude._

_ "I insist," he said. "Audrey's aunt is invading my house to make a big dinner for our family."_

_ Jack agreed to go after some convincing. Audrey wasn't thrilled by the idea._

_ "They're going to know," Audrey said. "My aunt doesn't miss things like this."_

_ "I'm sorry," Jack said. "I couldn't say no."_

_ Audrey sighed and rested her head against Jack's chest. "You are such a kiss-ass."_

The doctor poured alcohol over Jack's fingers to clean the wound. Jack grimaced when he felt it sting. The doctor wrapped up his hands and gave him some antibiotics.

The doctor argued with Cheng but Jack didn't understand. It was in Chinese. The doctor left angrily.

"Dr. Wong seems to think that we need to go easier on you for a few days," Cheng said. "I disagree."

The guards took that as their cue to punch and kick him. He was bleeding when they stopped and put him back in his cell.

_The number of people that were in Audrey's family amazed Jack. She had several aunts and uncles and cousins, mostly from her mother's side of the family._

_ "Overwhelmed?" Audrey asked handing Jack a beer._

_ "A little," Jack admitted. "I just can't imagine having a family this big."_

_ "It's hectic but nice," Audrey said, sitting on the couch. Jack sat next to her._

_ "Jack, right?" said one of Audrey's cousins taking a seat on the other side of Jack. "I'm Laura."_

_ "Nice to meet you," Jack said politely._

_ "He's too old for you Laura," Audrey said, noticing the flirtatious look she was giving him._

_ "Who says?" she asked._

_ "You're twenty two," Audrey clarified. "He has a twenty-one year old daughter."_

_ Laura looked at Jack and seemed to be thinking about it. "It doesn't matter to me."_

_ Audrey rolled her eyes._

_ "So, Jack, you have a girlfriend?" Laura asked._

_ "Uh yeah," Jack said uncomfortably._

_ "Why aren't you with her today?" Laura asked skeptically inching slightly closer to Jack._

_ "Dinner!" called Audrey's aunt from the dining room._

_ Everyone rushed into the dining room. Audrey and Jack sat next to each other. Everyone got their food and started eating._

_ "So, Jack, you were telling me about why you aren't spending Thanksgiving with your girlfriend," Laura said, starting the conversation._

_ Audrey and Jack both glanced at each other secretly then looked away._

_ "She's away this week," Jack said._

_ "Where'd she go?" Laura questioned._

_ "Laura leave him alone," Audrey insisted, not wanting Jack to be scared off by her family._

_ "Fine," Laura said. She changed the subject. "Where's Paul?"_

_ Everyone looked up from their plates hoping for an answer. "I don't know."_

_ "You didn't call him?" one of the uncles asked._

_ "No," Audrey said._

_ "You should," someone else said._

_ "Aunt Carole, how's the store doing?" Audrey asked changing the subject. Audrey's aunt went on about the store she had built, and Jack and Audrey looked at each other in relief._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Review please!_

Chapter 4

They let Jack rest for a while- Jack had no idea how long- as he recovered from his infection. He was left in his cell the entire time and didn't even see a single guard. Jack had always thought of himself as emotionally strong. He thought he didn't need anyone. But, he was lonely. He wanted to see Audrey again and hold her tightly in his arms.

_Jack held Audrey's hand as they walked in the sand, the waves crashing at their feet._

_ "East coast water is a lot cooler than what you're used to, huh?" Audrey asked._

_ "How do people swim in it?" Jack asked, as another cold wave hits their feet._

_ "Like this," Audrey said, running into the water pulling Jack along with her. They were now waist deep in the water and Jack tensed up and tried not to move to keep warm. Audrey faced Jack and took his other hand so she now had both of them. She kissed him and Jack pulled her in close. "Are you just trying to steal my body heat?"_

_ "Well you are the one who dragged me in," Jack accused._

_ "You're much bigger than I am, Jack. I think you could have stopped me," Audrey teased, splashing him with water. Jack splashed her back until they were both soaked with water._

A guard came in and pulled Jack onto his feet. He forced him down the hall where he was then strapped to the chair like usual. This time there was not a wide assortment of instruments on the table across from him. Just a bottle.

Cheng stood in front of him, his face only a few inches from Jack's. Jack wanted nothing more than to spit in his face but was too dehydrated and tired. Cheng demanded information once again but Jack stayed silent.

Cheng nodded to the guard who picked up the bottle and poured its contents onto Jack's hand. Jack knew it was an acid of some kind. It was burning his skin and he fought back a scream.

_"Ready?" Audrey asked. Jack nodded. "On three. One, Two, Three."_

_ They opened their doors and ran as quickly as they could from the car to Audrey's front door. Rain pelted down on them and they were soaked when they got to the door._

_ "I told you that you should've just stayed in the car," Audrey said, when they got under the awning above the door._

_ "It's okay," Jack insisted, kissing Audrey goodnight. When they pulled apart, Audrey smiled at him. He turned to leave but Audrey stopped him before he could step back into the pouring rain._

_ "Why don't you just stay here?" Audrey asked. Jack seemed to be thinking it over. "We couldn't see a thing driving here. It's only going to get worse."_

_ "Okay," Jack agreed following her inside as she unlocked the door and let them inside._

Finally the pain settled down a little but there was still another hand. Jack looked at his already burned hand and noticed that the wound was incredibly deep. The guard went to the other side of Jack and started to tip the bottle up again.

_Audrey threw a towel at Jack, which he used to get some of the water off of him. _

_ "I think I have a pair of Paul's sweatpants somewhere that you could wear," Audrey said, going into her bedroom to look for them. Jack stayed where he was, not wanting to get water all over the perfectly clean floors. Audrey came back out and handed him a stack of clothes. "Bathroom's over there. I'll put your wet clothes in the dryer."_

_ "Thanks," Jack said, walking cautiously to the bathroom. He changed quickly then came back out. He handed his clothes to Audrey who had also changed into a black tank top and a pair of yoga pants. Audrey threw Jack's clothes into the dryer._

_ When she finished, Jack kissed her unexpectedly and Audrey kissed back wrapping her arms around Jack's neck. He slid his hands down her torso until his hands came to rest at the small section of exposed skin where Audrey's tank top had ridden up. He stopped kissing her for a moment and looked into her eyes, asking for permission. She smiled slightly then kissed him again, silently telling him yes. He pulled her tank top off over her head. It was the first of many nights they spent together._

Jack wasn't sure how he got back into his cell but was happy when he saw a cup of water waiting for him. His burnt hands were sure to dehydrate him. He drank the water even though it looked unsanitary. He knew he would have to if he wanted to stay alive. And then he wondered, why should he try to stay alive? Wouldn't be easier just to die?

Audrey. She was the reason he was fighting, he reminded himself. He promised himself that someday he would find her and apologize. He wanted to say goodbye to her if it was the last thing he did.


End file.
